By Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
Dear Fellow Minnesotans,
As a veteran who served 11 years in Europe, including time in the UK from 2008 to 2016 and deployments to Afghanistan, I’ve witnessed firsthand the slow unraveling of societies under the weight of misguided policies. What I saw abroad—communities fractured by unchecked immigration, rising crime, failing education systems, and leaders who prioritize ideology over integrity—is now plaguing our own state. We’ve been exploited and lied to by agendas that masquerade as compassion but deliver division and harm. It’s time to step away from these failed doctrines, recognize the complicity of our so-called leaders, and reclaim Minnesota’s greatness through accountability, strong families, and servant leadership.
The parallels between the UK’s societal decay and Minnesota’s are undeniable, and the evidence is overwhelming. Both regions have suffered from “appeasement” policies that lower standards, enable exploitation, and erode the fabric of our communities. In the UK, net migration exploded to over a million people annually by 2023 under previous governments, leading to strained resources and a surge in organized immigration crime, with migrant fatalities rising as criminals maximize profits from small boat crossings. By 2025, irregular migrant detections increased, overburdening services and contributing to perceptions of cultural erosion, where kindness is exploited and native concerns dismissed. Crime linked to immigration has been a flashpoint, with foreign nationals involved in rising sex offences and violence, despite debates over correlations—yet the “fruits” are clear: fractured trust and unrest, as seen in post-2024 riots.
Minnesota mirrors this trajectory. Our state has seen a influx of immigrants, including undocumented populations estimated at a small but impactful share of the workforce, straining systems without adequate integration. While some reports claim immigrants commit fewer crimes overall, the reality on the ground tells a different story: ICE arrests in 2025 show a significant portion involving criminal convictions, with violent crime persisting in cities like Minneapolis despite reported drops—gun assaults down 21% but still elevated, carjackings down 24% yet linked to demographic shifts. Migration patterns reveal nearly 40% of domestic movers citing jobs, but critics point to welfare policies attracting non-assimilating groups, transforming high-trust communities into areas of decay. Education is crumbling: 2025 tests show only 45.2% math proficiency and 49.6% in reading, with chronic absenteeism over 50% in Minneapolis, ranking us 27th nationally—a direct result of ideologically driven curricula prioritizing division over excellence. In the UK, disadvantaged pupils lag 18 months behind, with chronic miseducation and behavior issues persisting, echoing our own failures.
These aren’t accidents; they’re the deliberate outcomes of policies pushed by leaders who can no longer hide behind ignorance. At this point, allegedly educated figures like Tim Walz, Keith Ellison, and Amy Klobuchar are guilty of knowingly promoting harm, willingly participating in the decay they’ve helped orchestrate. Their actions aren’t mere negligence—they’re complicit in exploiting Minnesotans for political gain.
Take Governor Tim Walz: His record is riddled with rhetoric that inflames division while ignoring the harm. In 2025, facing a budget deficit and party losses in the legislature, Walz slammed federal “chaos” but doubled down on inclusive immigration policies that critics say enable fraud and strain resources. He compared ICE agents to “Trump’s modern-day Gestapo,” dangerous language that undermines border security and prioritizes ideology over safety, even as crime linked to unchecked migration persists. Walz’s first term was defined by gridlock and crisis mismanagement during COVID, but his progressive agenda—expanding welfare without accountability—has contributed to the very economic pressures he now decries. This isn’t oversight; it’s a calculated choice to appease destructive elements, leaving Minnesotans to bear the costs.
Attorney General Keith Ellison exemplifies this witting participation. In 2025, Ellison led lawsuits against federal actions, from blocking transgender sports bans to suing over school funding and health data sharing with ICE—moves framed as protecting rights but criticized as obstructing enforcement and enabling exploitation. He warned of a “whisper away from Jim Crow,” yet his office has been accused of mishandling cases, with former staff criticizing its operations in 2022. By prioritizing lawsuits against “federal overreach,” Ellison actively participates in policies that lower standards and protect agendas over people, contributing to institutional distrust akin to the UK’s two-tier justice perceptions.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, too, cannot evade her role. While calling for civility after 2025’s political violence in Minnesota, her policies on immigration and economy have been part of the federal framework enabling decay. Klobuchar champions “inclusive” approaches, but critics argue her support for expansive migration ignores the strain on states like ours, where economic contributions from immigrants are touted while costs to education and safety are downplayed. Her op-eds decry Republican “waste,” yet she backs agendas that reward bureaucracy over accountability, mirroring the UK’s bloated systems. This involvement isn’t passive; it’s a deliberate alignment with ideologies that perpetuate harm, exploiting Minnesotans’ kindness for votes.
Minnesotans, we’ve been lied to—told these policies bring progress when they deliver decay. The evidence is in our rising deficits, failing schools, and unsafe streets, paralleled by the UK’s unrest and erosion. Leaders like Walz, Ellison, and Klobuchar know the harm; their educated backgrounds and positions make denial impossible. It’s a willingness to participate, hiding behind virtue while our communities suffer.
But we can change this. Step away from these failed agendas. Support reforms that restore integrity: rigorous immigration enforcement, value-based education, and accountable governance. As your Governor, I’ll lead this shift, drawing from my experiences to protect our families and rebuild on principles of faith, freedom, and unity. Together, let’s reject the exploitation and embrace greatness.
Sincerely,
Phillip C. Parrish
Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
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